Portable attachable curtain for fires.



No. 636,||3. I Patented Dct. 3|-, I899.

F. BURGER &. H. M. WILLIAMS.

PORTABLE ATT'A'CHABLE CURTAIN FUR FIRES.

IApplieatinn filed Feb. 21, 1899.) (-No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

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Mun. 636,ll3. Patented Oct. .31, I899.

F. BURGER & H. M. WILLIAMS.

PORTABLE ATTACHABLE CURTAIN FOR FlRES.

Application filed Feb. 21, 1899.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ BURGER AND HENRY M. WILLIAMS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA; SAID BURGER ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO SAID WILLIAMS.

PORTABLE ATTACHAB LE CURTAIN FOR FIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 636,113, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed February 21, 1899. Serial No. 706 ,409. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANZ BURGER and HENRY M. WILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Attachable Curtains for Fires, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to portable attachable window-curtains for fir'e protection, and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, and effective device for this purpose; and it consists in a structure embodying the general features'arranged and operating substantially as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion .of a building, showing a window and showing our improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front view of a building, showing the curtain or shutter in position. Fig. 3 is a side view of the rod and sliding cross-rod. Fig. 4 is a front view of the same. Fig. 5 isa front View showing the cross-rod partially folded against the main rod. Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of a clamping device attached to the rod. Fig. 7 is a side view of the same, the last two views being enlarged for the purpose of clearness; and Fig. 8 is an elevationshowing a modification of the rod.

As above indicated,,the main object of our invention is to provide an effective means which will prevent fire entering the windows of buildings from outside-as, for instance, when there is a burning building in the neighborhood-and this is accomplished by providing what we have termed a portable attachable window curtain or shutter, which can be kept in any convenient place of storage or carried by the fire-engines or bookand-ladder companies and which is adapted to be quickly, readily, and efiectively used in cases of emergency.

Briefly stated, our invention comprises a rod or standard having attached thereto or connected therewith means for readily supporting it in position in connection with a window of a building or otherwise and also a curtain or shutter which is adapted to be compactly closed and connected with the pole or standard and also adapted to be supported by said pole or standard in position to protect the window or other opening.

With this general statement of our invention we will now proceed to describe more in detail the specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings.

The device comprises a rod or standard 1, which may be of any suitable material or size, and which is constructed and arranged to support the curtain or shutter, and which is also provided with suitable means, hereinafter specified, for holding the rod or standard in position.

The curtain 8 may be of any desired construction, but preferably is made ofmetal or some fireproof material and is preferably normally rolled upon a shaft 7, which in the present instance is attached to hangers 6, having eyes 5, through which passes a cable or other support 4, which cable in the present instance is provided with a central ring 3.. This ring in the present instance fits in a slot 2 in the end of the rod 1, and while this is a somewhat simple means of attaching the curtain and rod it is effective; but it is understood that our invention comprises any other equivalent means of connecting the two-that is, for instance, they may be more permanently connected together in that the slot 2 may be closed or the support for the curtain may be attached to the end of the rod by a suitable clamp or other device whichwould readily occur to those skilled in the art.

The curtain 8 is preferably provided with transverse stays 9, which tend to stifien the curtain and hold it in position when not of a material to be stiff enough without the rods, and also connected to the curtain are certain cords or strings 10 or other equivalent fastening devices by which the curtain can be tied to the rod 1 or in any other fixed position in order to hold it in place against disturbance by the fire or draft or otherwise. To the rod or standard 1 is attached a cross-rod 13, and while this may be connected indifferent ways we provide a swivel T-piece ll 12, one portion of which slides on the rod 1, and the other portion carries the cross-rod 13, and the two parts are connected by a swivel-pin 14. In this way the cross-rod 13 can be laid longitudinally parallel with the rod or standard 1 when the apparatus is not in use, but can be turned at any desired angle thereto and moved to any position on the rod when in use.

In order to further hold the rod or standard in place, we provide the rod with a suitable clamping device, and while the construction and arrangement of this may be varied in Figs. 6 and 7 we have shown an effective device therefor. This comprises a sleeve or ferrule 23, adapted to slide on the rod 1 and which in the present instance is provided with trunnions 22. Connected with this sleeve is a frame 20, slotted on each side at 26, and preferably the upper portions of the slots are made in the shape of hooks 27 adapted to engage the trunnions 22. Connected to one end of the frame 20 are two links 19, which are mounted on the pivots 24 on the frame 20. The other ends of the links are united by a pin 25, towhich is pivoted a hook 18. This frame can be tilted and arranged substantially parallel to the rod or standard 1 when the parts are out of use, and it is evident that the curtain or screen on its shaft 7 can also be turned so as to be practically parallel with the rod, or in a construction such as shown the curtain can be rolled on the shaft and the whole detached from the pole for storage or carriage.

In Figs. 1 and 2 we have illustrated a section ofa buildinghaving a window,in which 16 and 17 are the top portions of the window-frame, and 15 and 15,respectively, the top portions of the sashes, and 28 the floor of the apartment, and the use and application of our invention will be readily understood from these figures. Thus, for instance, when a building is endangered from fire near by and there is no permanent attachment to protect the windows with ourportable attachable window-curtain a satisfactory and effective protection can be supplied. In the instance illustrated the top sash of the window is lowered and the end of the pole carrying the curtain is passed through the open space and the curtain is unrolled, covering the window. The cross-rod 13 is moved on its T-piece 12 to the proper position and turned so as to form a brace against the sides of the window-frame, tending to support the rod in position, and as an additional means of holding it in position the hook 18 is attached to the window-sill and the frame 20 adjusted on the trunnions, so as to more rigidly hold the pole in position. With this particular form of clamp, with the links forming practically a toggle-joint, the rod can be drawn tightly in position by turning the links 19 to the position shown in Fig. 1, and their construction and arrangement are such that they form practically a lock, which, however,

can be readily released by pressure brought to bear upon either end of the frame. The curtain may be further attached to the pole by means of the strings or other attachments 10 or to other parts of the window. The upper end of the pole in this position may bear against the outer side of the upper frame 16, while its other end bears upon the floor 28 and the middle portion bears against the sashframe 15 and it will readily be seen that once placed properly in position it is secured against any force which would ordinarily displace it, although it can be readily removed when occasion requires. In some instances it is preferable to bend and flatten the upper end of the rod 1, so that it will come in close alinement with the upper portion of the window-frame or the wall of the building, as in dicated in Fig. 8, and thus the curtain or screen will be brought and held more closely against the face of the building.

It will thus be seen that we provide an exceedingly simple and relatively inexpensive portable attachable screen which is well adapted for the purposes intended and forms an efiective protection to windows in case of fire or otherwise.

What we claim is- 1. A portable attachable curtain for fire protection, comprising a standard, a curtain connected thereto, and a slidable cross-rod attached to the standard, substantially as described.

2. A portable attachable curtain for fire protection, comprising a standard, a curtain attached thereto, a sliding cross-rod attached thereto, and an adjustable clamp connected to the standard, substantially as described.

3. A portable attachable curtain for fire protection, comprising a standard, a shaft, a curtain adapted to roll and unroll upon the shaft, means for detachably connecting the shaft to the standard, and a slidable cross-rod connected to the standard for attaching it to the window-frame,substantially as described.

4. A portable attachable curtain for fire protection, comprising a standard, a sliding swivel T connected to the standard, a crossrod mounted on the T, a clamping device adj ustably connected to the standard for engaging the window-sill, and a curtain having socuring-cords attached to the standard, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ BURGER. HENRY M. WILLIAMS. \Vitnesses:

Gno. T. TORRENCE, L. F. BURGER. 

